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More Schiit reviews? Probably not...

162.250.145.187
Posted on January 20, 2017 at 09:23:07
Isaak J. Garvey
Industry Professional

Posts: 1207
Location: Hollywod, CA
Joined: January 7, 2016
 It looks like Stereophile pissed off Schiit, real bad. And the Schiit hit the fan.

Stereophile posted this on Facebook:

"Schiit Audio goes their own way, using obsolete 20-bit DAC chips - obsolete in the context of 24-bit audio data - in this converter. Yet Herb Reichert was very impressed by the sound."

Jason Stoddard responds:

"Jason Stoddard: Obsolete? Not at all. The 20-bit DACs used in Yggdrasil (specifically, four AD5791BRUZ) are 100% current, much more tightly spec'd than any audio DAC in terms of DNL and INL, and are used in the most mission-critical applications that include medical imaging and defense. This is a disappointing misrepresentation of the product."

And on his own Head-Fi forum:

"Yes, this gets my blood boiling, Just commented on Facebook and sent a letter to the ad rep and editor.

The reality is, for those just tuning in: AD5791BRUZ DACs used in Yggdrasil are 100% current and used in the most mission-critical applications on the planet, including medical imaging and defense. They are much higher spec in terms of INL and DNL than any audio DAC, ever. The Yggdrasil uses 4 of these blindingly expensive DACs."

 

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RE: More Schiit reviews? Probably not..., posted on January 20, 2017 at 10:56:38
13th Duke of Wymbourne
Audiophile

Posts: 2800
Location: Orange Co., Ca
Joined: September 19, 2001
 JA's measurements showed distortion of low level signals due to truncation of 24-bit signals to 20-bit ones - this was apparent in both the time domain and frequency domain. It is really a question of semantics - the DAC chips used are undoubtedly state-of-the-art for their intended purpose so the questions becomes, is the use of the word 'obsolete' in terms of applying a 20-bit converter to a world that moved to 24-bits some years ago inappropriate?

Anyway, the review was excellent and the measurements told the truth. The words 'cup' 'storm and 'tea' spring to mind.

Regards
13DoW

 

RE: More Schiit reviews? Probably not..., posted on January 20, 2017 at 11:15:14
Isaak J. Garvey
Industry Professional

Posts: 1207
Location: Hollywod, CA
Joined: January 7, 2016
 Consider this, Herb R, who seems to be a babe in the woods when it comes to computer audio, and seems to be oblivious to Hi-Rez audio, only mentioned CD quality music only during the review. So what would 24 bits have to do with anything> Also consider that Stereophile, who have been wetting their trousers over MQA for a year now, is not 24 bits either.

 

RE: More Schiit reviews? Probably not..., posted on January 20, 2017 at 13:41:12
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
 Remember so called 24 bit dacs do not actually get 24 bit resolution. More like 20 to 21 bit, some even less. 24 bit is 144db signal to noise. Even the best studios can't get that. MQA files unfold to 24 bit. Don't know what true resolution is. I don't know why we worry about this stuff. To me it all sounds good, even 16/44
Alan

 

RE: More Schiit reviews? Probably not..., posted on January 20, 2017 at 17:15:17
Isaak J. Garvey
Industry Professional

Posts: 1207
Location: Hollywod, CA
Joined: January 7, 2016
 ...they "unfold" to 24 bits but in the coding process it throws out bits....so those last 8 bits are so are nothing but dummy data.

 

yup ^^^^ what he wrote. nt, posted on January 21, 2017 at 16:31:22
3+4=5
 .

 

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